Separate Telangana Movement: Territorial Versus Democratic

The paper deals with the Separate Telangana Movement: the issues and the concerns that are involved in it. It concentrates on the brief history of Andhra Pradesh in general and Telangana region in particular. It tries to analyze reasons for the movement and also deals with the three phases of the movement that includes political economical cultural and social scenario of the region starting from the !"#$s till %$$". The study intends to study societal activism &alit perspective and the political developments. It also deals with the response of the government towards the Telangana movement. Study intended to interview the scholars academicians artists activists students to comprehend and 'ustify the given ob'ectives effectively. The study also tries to understand the Telangana Movement and try asses either people of the Telangana need merely geographical or territorial separate Telangana state or democratic Telangana state. Indian political system is witnesses the comple( critical and complicated social system. It also witnesses the different regions with varied cultures geographical conditions and developmental scenario. India is passing through the combination of both the traditional and modernity. State is gradually withdrawing its responsibilities from the welfare responsibilities. It resulted in the spurt in people)s movement since two decades. It is well *now fact that in Indian system there are many issues involved. +or instance the political fragmentation and linguistic regional insulation, hierarchical social division institutionalized ine-uality cultural.ethnic diversity and social intolerance were the basic characteristics of traditional India. These multiple dimensions had shaped the nature and type of social movements. The nationalist ideology subsumed the divergent social movements encompassing into Indian liberation movement. All the spiritual national leaders participated in the national movement irrespective of their caste and culture without selfishness and personal interests but it is argued that positive outloo* is lac*ing in post.independence India. The /ationalist spirit withered away very soon. /egative aspects li*e the denial of access to productive resources social discrimination and

patriarchal values became a common phenomenon. 0ence it resulted in emergence of social movements continued and revived. ! It is well *nown fact that the outcomes of a movement could be seen in terms of social political and economic change some times structural and non.structural. 0owever the state has the power to formulate new public policies or to modify the e(isting public policies within the constitutional framewor* in response to the demands of different social movements. Thus social movements through the state and its actions initiate and determine public policy. 1ltimately the social movements are the result of the failure of policies. The movements also wor* against the discrimination on all the grounds i.e. caste creed gender and untouchability. The movements also strive for the access of decent earnings education and health to all that are the main components of human development. The emergence or recurrence of social movements can be e(plained in terms of the failure of the state at different levels of the policy cycle.% These movements emerged around the issues of caste class region and language. The different types of movements: women &alit tribal agrarian farmers regional movement identity and human rights movements e(ist based on the socio.economic characteristics of the participants. All these are aimed at ac-uiring due spaces for different sections of populations and the regions that had denied systematically in the economy political and in the development process. Andhra Pradesh political scenario is not an e(ception to this phenomenon. The movements are an attempt to negotiate with the state mar*et and civil society.2 Impact of the other peoples movements in Andhra Pradesh: The state of Andhra Pradesh has a distinct place in the history of social movements in India. Andhra Pradesh was almost a laboratory for international institutions or e(perimenting with economic reforms. The State also witnessed the movements against
! %

3hanshyam Shah Social Movements and The State Sage Publications /ew &elhi %$$%. Ibid. 2 Ibid.

the reforms. Against the reforms

different social groups are participated4still

participating in the movements down the line ranging from the e(treme left to autonomous groups. It also witnessed anti li-uor movement movement against the globalization separate Telangana movement /a(alite movement and so on. 5specially Telangana now stands on the verge of another movement for liberation from aliens and for participatory democracy. The demand for small states are considered as a demand for the responsible and participatory politics. The Telangana movement of !"6" was the first Indian struggle for economic and cultural autonomy. The movement going on now has added a demand for social emancipation. This is as it should be. The whole world is moving towards liberation from racism se(ism and casteism. The Telangana has stood in the vanguard of such movements for the last fifty years and awaits correct leadership. The &alit and tribal movements in the state were the first in the country in demanding reservation within reservation among Scheduled 7astes 8S7s9 and Scheduled Tribes 8STs9. The violation of civil rights ensured by the constitution especially in Andhra Pradesh where the presence of radical left parties resulted in fre-uent infringement of civil rights resulted in the civil rights movement. The recent resurgence of the movement for land indicated the renewed demand for the distribution of land to the landless. The long survival of the movement for a separate Telangana is an indicator of the many regional identity movements in the country.# Brief history and politics of Telangana egion: To understand the relevance of Telangana movement study intends to emphasize its historical bac*ground of the region. The Andhra Pradesh of today is a state of twenty. three districts which corresponds fairly accurately to the area in which Telugu language and culture are dominant. The state is divided into three well.defined sub.regions: the &elta :ayalaseema and Telangana. +or most administrative purposes the &elta and :ayalaseema are treated as one. The &elta well irrigated and fertile is the most prosperous and wealthy of three sub regions, Telangana region relatively bac*ward
#

0uman &evelopment :eport.%$$; Andhra Pradesh 7entre for 5conomic and Social Studies 875SS9 <idhya 3raphics 0yderabad %$$= pp.!".%!.

economically. :ayalaseema is a dry infertile area sub'ect to fre-uent droughts and famine. Telangana is one among the three regions of Andhra Pradesh which consist of ten districts including 0yderabad which is the capital city of the State of AndraPradesh. &uring the pre. independence period Telangana was part of the 0yderabad State. The princely State of 0yderabad was under the control of /izam rule which consisted of three linguistic regions Marathi >annada and Telugu. Telangana was the Telugu spea*ing region of 0yderabad. Telangana region is located in the western part of Andhra Pradesh. 5arlier Asaf ?ahis ruled the State of 0yderabad. It came out of the ruins of @ahamani and Autub Shahi *ingdoms and formed a polygonal tract occupying the centre of &eccan Plateau. The /izam)s State comprised three linguistic regions viz. Telangana Marathwada and >arnata*a. +or the purpose of Administration the entire State was divided into four Subas i.e. Barangal and Meda* 8Telangana9 Aurangabad 8Marathwada9 and 3ulbarga 8>arnata*a9. The Telangana region that formed a part of the /izam)s &ominion represented the uni-ue &eccan culture. 5ven though India got independence in !"#; the 0yderabad state did not get freedom at that time. They remained unfree till the year !"#=. After police action under the leadership of Sardar <allabai Patel the state was merged with the Indian union. In the year !"C6 the regions was merged with Andhra region 8it was a part of Madras presidency9 based on language i.e. Telugu.C The 'agirdars system of landholdings seems to have stood in the way of agricultural development: D though endowed with fairly good rainfall averaging 2C.% inches annually the poor soil and the rugged country seem to present a handicap to intensive agricultural development. @esides the agrarian conditions under the ?agirdar system in the olden days did not seem to have provided ade-uate incentives to the ryot to attempt any intensive cultivation. In the early years of present century the /izam)s government constructed a ma'or irrigation scheme based on the /izamsagar dam thereby ma*ing /izamabad the most prosperous district in Telangana district. The rule of the /izams was autocratic and the official language both in politics and education was 1rdu. The people of Telangana were effectively insulted from the Telugu renaissance and both their language and their
C

Ta'uddin Md :ole of State and /3Es in issues of +ood Security: A 7ase Study Ef &&S Meda* &istrict unpublished &iassertation 7entre for :egional Studies 1niversity of 0yderabad %$$# pp.C.6.

culture came under strong Islamic and 1rdu influences. Popular participation in politics was actively discouraged and the Indian /ational 7ongress was cautious about e(tending the national struggle to the princely states. It was not until !"2= that a 0yderabad state was formed only to banned shortly after by 0yderabad State 7ongress was formed only to banned shortly after by the /izam and until !"C! was the 0yderabad 7ongress merged with the Indian 7ongress. Bithin the 0yderabad 7ongress there were three provincial 7ongress 7ommittees one for each of the three lingistic areas of >arnata*a Marthwada and Telangana. Telangana was part of 0yderabad state during this period there was a serious dislocation of power owing to the accession by force into the farme wor* of Indian bourgeois state and the restruturisation Telangana countryside through methods of repressive domination between !"#= F C%. Its rich peasantry thwarted both by the landlords and the /izam)s State in the preceding years more importantly by its separation from trading activity its initial participation in the peasant movement its not so enthusiastic identification with communist party had blunted its edge in the post.police action period. The collapse of /izam)s tiny but powerful bureaucracy and its replacement by the local bureaucracy in the subse-uent years had left with little scope for a coalition between itself the wea* political elite and the not so e(pansive not much surplus generating rural rich. The legitimacy of the political elite of Telangana was very wea* by all standards especially in comparison with Andhra elite. The people of Telangana were late in becoming politically mobilized and the neither the masses nor the elite were involved in the movement for the setting up of Andhra Pradesh. This had been ininitially led by Telugu @rahmins who were predominance in the administration in the legal and educational system of the e(isting Madras Presidency. @ut nevertheless @rahmin dominance was gradually challenged by the rising non.@rahmin castes particularly the >ammas and :eddis who tended initially to support the ?ustice Party and the Andhra Movement finding themselves at loggerheads with each other only after the setting up of Andhra Pradesh in !"C2. /one of these events seemed to attract or involve the people of Telangana to any great e(tent nor was any attempt made to

mobilize them politically. They were only marginalized affected by the Telugu renaissance presumably because their rather 1rduized and unliterary Telugu was despised by the people of the 7ircars. 7ongress was very slow to involve the people of the Princely states in the national struggle, here again the people of 0yderabad acted mainly as spectators. The non.@rahmin movement did not spread to Telangana or politicize the people because @rahmins had never been as dominant under a Muslim /izam as they became in neighbouring parts of @ritish India. They are not even the horizontal political mobilized group based on the caste which has been so characteristic of linguistic politics cross the 0yderabad state. After the police action 0yderabad remained as a separate political entity. Indeed there was a certain amount of public feeling against the division of the state on a linguistic basis: on ?une !6 !"C% a motion in the 0yderabad Gegislative Assembly for the dismemberment of the state was defeated by ;" votes to 62. Aware of their bac*wardness mul*is feared e(ploitation at the hands of their fellows in Andhra. Telangana played no part in the agitation which resulted in the setting up of the state of Andhra Pradesh in !"C2 composed of Telugu districts formerly in Madras. The national leadership of 7ongress seemed to flirt with the idea that 0yderabad might be retained as a multilingual state a *ind of bastion against linguistic feelings. The four coastal districts *nown as the /orthern 7ircars developed rapidly under @ritish administration and particularly from the >rishna and 3odavari rivers for agriculture. The 7ircars became the most prosperous part of the Telugu country and the rice.bowl of Andhra en'oying the benefits of a stable and enlightened administration. @etween !"#6.!"C6 the Andhra region)s agrarian bourgeoisie with rural petty.bourgeoiseise is its ally had very much come into their own as factors of decisive importance, especially since !"C2 when Andhra State was carved out as their e(clusive zone of operation. The combination of commercialized agri.produce and trading of the same had brought realized surplus which went into and were still going into same activity. The highly commercialized rice tobacco sugarcane its trade and industries based on these agro. produce were not separate ventures but enterprises highly interconnected and owned and operated by one and the same class of people. 7entered in the coastal districts they were

an ever.e(panding rural rich and the political elite in the region that emerged during this phase. The origins of this class were a highly self. conscious activated group that forged a regional ideological solidarity through Andhra and <isalandhra pro'ects. The bureaucratic elite had also forged a lin* with these political elite sharing the same commitment to regional ideology. Separate Andhra state fitted not only with their political ambition but also their psychological ma*e.up. 82C.269 :eal strength of this change however lay not 'ust in the sphere of production alone but in intellectual ideological wisdom matured bourgeois mindset and politics of the Andhra political intelligentsia. These new ideas of development versus bac*wardness were spread by this generation of political class. To *now more about the nature of political class the initial rise of individuals as leaders depended on the castes consciousness numerical strength of the caste and the degree of social hegemony.

!aste and !ultural !omposition of three regions: Telangana has been primarily a territory of adivasis and nomads pastoral and service castes artisans and leather wor*ers. It was because of their composition Telangana has become in popular perception a symbol of people)s rebellion. Telangana movement means the movement of service caste artisans nomads and pastoral communities. Telangana was made up of their history their life and their culture. Telangana subse-uently lost its identity and had to satisfy with history of their struggles sacrifices and even loss of lives and its past was attributed to suit political interests of those who established their power over <ishalandhra. Their valor sacrifices were appropriated by the leaders of Andhra type. The modernizing castes produced the individuals of their castes as leaders and they in turn hegemonized the political parties. Political parties in such scenario came under the control of the castes. The >ammas :eddys and @rahmins as communities organized in Telangana and Andhra regions promoted their leadership. The :eddy community in

0yderabad and homogenized >amma peasant community in Andhra regions pushed many of their caste men as their leaders. The castes in fact transformed as close *nit communities with harmonized characteristics identified themselves with regions of their influence. The historical tragedy was the castes as organs of social4political entities were strengthened and further the regions came to be *nown in the name of castes F Andhra as >amma region and Telangana as :eddy region. @rahmins as protagonists of literary culture occupied intellectual and cultural forums for Andhrisation of Telugus remained as men of letters however their overriding intellectual positions were severely challenged by the >ammas and :eddys. 6 Bhen new power structure was constituted during !"#; to !"C6 for the formation of 0yderabad4<ishalandhra state the landed gentry of Telangana and peasant entrepreneurs of Andhra vied each other with contempt but 'oined together against the lower castes. They could turn the fighting communities into followers and carriers of their agendas. Modern ideologies of linguistic state land reforms and abolition of feudalism were products of the modern educated intelligentsia that virtually brought the militant communities under their control. Political parties that wor*ed with such fashionable programmes and agendas were resulted in organizations of the educated intelligentsia who recruited people into it to obey their leadership. There are no fundamental differences on the issue of caste between the three sub regions. The same castes tend to have a horizontal spread throughout the state. >amma concentrated in the &elta districts sometimes *nown as >amma :astra while the :eddy)s are heavily centered in :ayalaseema. In Telangana the :eddy)s are predominant. There is a tendency for traditional :eddy caste ties and factual conflicts to disregard the sub regional boundaries. The principal castes in the three sub regions are the same although there are certainly interesting minor differences in caste configuration between Telangana :ayalaseema and Andhra. The socio.cultural space of Telangana is different from that of Andhra. The presence of caste structures differs from Andhra as the geography varies largely from one another. 0illy forest pastoral and feudal life shaped
6

professional castes and conse-uent consciousness of the Telangana as against that of Andhra whose peasant4caste ethic of e(ploitation was determined by the coastal plains and colonial rule. These two paradigmatically different structures 8Telangana and Andhra9 were brought together in !"C6 not as a solution to Telangana)s many problems but as a contribution to the re-uirements of the Andhra rich and their allies. The merger that came about too* place at the level of political and administrative arrangements. The elite structures of Andhra parties and lobbies proceeded to subordinate their Telangana counterparts ta*ing advantage of their wea*ness and ine(perience in bourgeois mode of arrangements. It was at the level of bureaucratic elite that the subordinate of Telangana)s officials at the ape( was carried out through change of rules of service. /othing in the State :eorganization Act nor in the 3entlemen) s Agreement could present this. The mul*i rules were not applicable to upper strata. The politico.bureaucratic elite could immediately be seen to be divided on two levels the dominant Andhra segment and the subordinate Telangana section. 0owever no bureaucracy functions without a hierarchically organized numerically bigger lower administrative functionaries. After an initial hesitation the mul*i rules were flouted to bring in more Andhra employees. A process so started does not stop at that and ac-uires a momentum of its own which in the case of Telangana bypassed even the -ualified Telangana people. &iscrimination was abetted by a system of spoils which was practiced with impunity by the Andhra political elite with a lot more audacity than in the initial stages. If sub regional distinctiveness cannot often be traced to caste cultural or linguistic factors it is clear that a history of division goes far to create sub.regional feelings within a broad cultural region. Andhra has a long history of unity but in the middle of eighteenth century it was bro*en up. Most of it came under @ritish rule but Telangana remained under India rule as part of the territories of the /izam of 0yderabad. Telangana therefore has a separate political history of two centuries. There is a widespread feeling that aspirations of Telangana people were undermined in all spheres i.e. social economic and political which resulted in demanding of a separate Telangana state.; 0ence it is historical necessary for the people of Telangana to demand
;

&emand for Telangana state too* place when Andhra Pradesh has formed separate state in !"C$s.

"

for the separate statehood for the overall development that includes self.rule and self. respect as Amartya Sen argued. Separate Telangana Movement: The Issues: In the separate Telangana movement people from several wal*s of life are involved: intellectuals artists women Tribals revolutionary groups students and teacher associations. All political parties have its own agenda and stand on the demand of Telangana separate state. This movement has many dimensions. Social economic political cultural linguistic bac*wardness industry agriculture the sentiment of People of the region. Many scholars argue that it has been neglected by the government in developmental activities. The people of Telangana also feel that they loo*ed down their culture and language by the Andhra region and reduced their status as second citizens in the name of language in their own homeland. 0ence it is argued In fact it is not 'ust the -uestion of development but it includes the self.respect of people.= "istorical easons for Separate Telangana Statehood Movement: The newly.created State had more resources now. @ut the Andhra rich farmers who had secured assurances from its coalitional partners namely the politico.administrative elite would now want that it be provided with conditions to increase surplus. The period ending with the mid.si(ties in which there was relative political stability coincided with the e(pansion of infrastructure for wider internal mar*et and compulsory procurement of food grains by the government. The e(pansion of education brought more -ualified people from Andhra into Telangana. Telangana)s -ualified men and women were slow to come in the new educational institutions needed for the new system being opened only in the late !"C$s Public wor*s brought in contractors and transporters from Andhra. They might have stopped coming Telangana if the government intervened to increase the rural incomes and promote the potential rich. Tenancy reforms resulted in the increase small.
=

?ayashan*ar 7onsensus on Telangana State: +acts Mallepalli :a'yam Memorial Trust 0yderabad %$$6.

!$

scale production, very few agrarian rich could ac-uire meaningful surplus. Increased irrigation facilities were the only way that could have brought prosperity to sections of Telangana peasantry." 2;.2= 0arinath argues the sustained pressure and combined activity of Andhra ruling coalition concentrated its efforts to bring more water from Telangana area for bigger surpluses. The Andhra agrarian rich did not from the beginning want a competitive section from Telangana that would spoil its attempt to perpheralise Telangana into small.commodity producing peasantry. The Andhra political elites were instrumental in realizing this negative aspiration by scuttling all the attempts of the Telangana subordinate elite through a tight networ* of lobby system. the peripheral nature of Telangana)s economy was reinforced by the government)s cutting down of size and outlay of Telangana irrigation pro'ects and by increasing the supply of water from Telangana to Andhra region by floating legal norms and arrangements8 /agar'unasagar Pochampadu9. The irrigation and engineering bureaucracy which dominated by Andhra component was a crucial input in favour of Andhra rural rich. Andhra region as an advantaged area began to ta*e shape now. &isparities were created and protected by the Andhra ruling elite that served as a mechanism in perpetuating this process. Telangana was slowely but surely turned from a periphery into a colony by the middle of the si(ties. the systematic transfer of resources through the governmental net wor* had started water coal and electriclty being the primary targets of such transfer. The monetary siphoning continued to priority areas in coastal Andhra. @esides being converted into a peripheral bac*ward area Telangana was paying more ta(es in the form of higher agricultural ta( rates and e(cise ta(.!$ Author critically assess that the Andhra leadership still continuing all the ill treatment meted out to them by the Tamil ruling class in the old Madras Presidency and transferred the in'ury to the people of Telangana. @ut it was not merely a collective psychological problem but was the lust for power and money of the feudal classes of the Andhra area 8>ammas :eddys and @rahmins9. Thus Telangana people were fooled and treated li*e subordinates totally losing their self.respect. Soon they lost most of their lands too as a result of /a(alite movement while :eddys of
"

0arinath P Telangana: the Peripheralisation 7olonization and Marginalization of a region 8 in edited9 Simhadri P H :ao <ishweshwer P.G Telangana: &imensions of 1nderdevelopment 7entre for Telangana Studies !""; pp. 2=.2"
!$

Ibid. pp. 2=.2"

!!

:ayalaseema continued to hold on to their lands and despotic power inspite of land reforms. They sub'ected Telangana feudals to every type of humiliation imaginable. Iet a character from this class betrayed the great peoples) movement for Telangana of !"6=.!";%. 8;9 Scholars argue the /a(alite movement itself was a product of the betrayal of the !"6=.!";% movement as also tardy implementation of land reforms by the 7oastal area F:ayalaseema feudal coalition. It is absurd to say that there is no feudalism in Andhra area. It is a totally casteist system too. A marauding capitalism has been superimposed on a casteist and feudal society. All the contradictions of the Andhra area are sought to be resolved by involving oppressed sections into a wholesale e(ploitation of Telangana. Bholesale e(ploitation of Telangana resources for the benefit of the Andhra area is accompanied by attac*s on the way of life of Telangana people. In fact the insistence on the formation of Andhra Pradesh was itself with the intention of ta*ing control of Telangana resources.!! 8;.=9 It is also argued that the root of the aspirations for 8Sub9 regional autonomy in India is the fact of uneven development. 1neven development is multi.dimensional.economic social political and cultural dimensions seen in their inter.relationship. 1neven development is both historically determined and politically enforced process.8C%9 Garge linguistic states as the e(perience of the last four decades shows have strengthened the grip of dominant caste4classes of the advanced regions over the economy society and politics of the states including the bac*ward regions which by galvanizing the resources.mater and cultural F ideological at their command have furthered their hegemony over the bac*ward areas and the increasingly impoverished subaltern castes4classes. The conse-uence of this is the Jinternal colonization). 5vidence of this is the dominant presence of the Joutsiders)4settlers in all sectors of social life in the bac*ward areas. It is a vindication of their dominance that the upper caste4class leadership of the advanced regions and has for this reason not only displayed indifference to the problems of the bac*ward areas but in fact actively professed Jintegration). +urther the Geft with economistic class reductionism sought to reduce the -uestion of uneven development almost e(clusively to the logic of capitalist development. Though the tra'ectory of capitalist transformation
!!

Ep.cit.

!%

forms the conte(t in which regional unevenness and in'ustice is structured yet it cannot simply be e-uated with nor can it be understood solely in terms of nationality defined principally in terms of language.!% A Demand for Separate State and !omparison of Different Phases: The issue of separate State is not a new phenomenon. It has its own history since independence however if we loo* at the demand for a separate State of Telangana into three distinct phases form !"#= to the present. I Phase: #$%& ' #$() Bhen India got independence in !"#; at the time 0yderabad State was under the control of /izam :uler Meer 1sman Ali >han. En !2 September !"#= the 3overnment of India launched Police Action on 0yderabad. @y !; September !"#= Police Action was completed and 1nion 3overnment integrates /izam State into Indian 1nion. After the general election of !"C% the first popular ministry headed by @. :ama*rishna :ao too* charge of the 0yderabad State. Gater it was integrate with the Telugu spea*ing Andhra region which was a part of Madras Presidency until !"C2. After the Police Action officials were brought from costal district of Andhra to 0yderabad State for DAdministrative convenienceK. @ut it led to agitation against non mul*is 8outsiders9 in August !"C%. The agitation was popularly *nown as the Mul*i Movement. The students from the Telangana region actively participated in the movement which was suppressed by the authorities. The !"C% agitation is significant because it shaped the attitude of the people towards the issue of State :eorganization. The demand for separate Telangana State had its roots from the Mul*i Movement. Though this movement was not articulated by political groups until the -uestion of state :eorganization became a reality Sate eorgani*ation !ommission:
!%

Srinivasulu. > The Thesis on the Auestion of Small States in Simhadri P H :ao <ishweshwer P.G Telangana: &imensions of 1nderdevelopment 7entre for Telangana Studies !""; pp.C2

!2

After the formation of Andhra State in Ectober !"C2 the demand for the creation of other linguistic states ac-uire prominent place. En Ect %% !"C2 the State :eorganization 7ommission was set up by the 3overnment of India headed by +azal Ali. This 7ommission recommended that the Telugu spea*ing people of 0yderabad State should have separate State by the name of Telangana. @y +ebruary !"C6 the idea of separate State was dropped and formed a single State called. Andhra Pradesh comprising of Andhra and Telangana by 3entlemen)s Agreement 8%$ +eb !"C69. It was subscribed to by the leaders of both Andhra and Telangana in a way underwritten by the 7entral 3overnment embodied certain safeguards to the people of Telangana with regard to employment economic development and educational facilities. This agreement cleared the way for the formation of the single State of Andhra Pradesh on /ovember !"C6. Ene of the conditions of the agreement was if the 7hief Minister is from Andhra &eputy 7hief Minister should be from Telangana. @ut this agreement was violated in !"C6 itself when /eelam San'iva :eddy became the first 7.M. of A.P. refused to name any Telangana Minister as &eputy 7.M. And also Telangana people felt that 3entlemen)s Agreement violated all the safeguards of the Telangana region. All these leads to a massive revolt of the people of the region in !"6= F !"6" demanding separate statehood for Telangana region from the State of Andhra Pradesh. II P"AS+ #$)& ' #$,-: Telangana Agitation The failure of 3entlemen)s Agreement and some other reasons were made path towards the rise of Telangana agitation. Telangana people thought that there was an imbalance between the two regions had been neglected in many aspects. The employment problem and the delaying in implementation of the Mul*i rules were the main aspects that being neglected by the governments since the formation of single state and only very little was done to set right this imbalance. All these lead to the agitation called Telangana Agitation within the region of Telangana. This agitation too* a violent turn in certain areas of the region because unfortunately on %$ ?anuary !"6" police opened fire on the agitating students at 0yderabad leads to so many deaths. Several political parties in the state have

!#

also been actively involved in the agitation. Gater a separate organization *nown as Telangana Pra'a Samiti was formed under the 7hairmanship of 7hanna :eddy in !"6" later it was turned as a political party. In September !";! @ramananda :eddy who was the 7.M. of Andhra Pradesh resigned his position to ma*e room for a Telanganite to become the 7hief Minister and few days later P.<./arasimha :ao became first 7hief Minister from Telangana. The second half of !"6$s brought in a change situation through application of 3reen :evolution techni-ues b9 development of infrastructure c9 e(panding irrigation d9 building dams e9 providing seed farms and fertilizer and f9 giving greater access to credit and other material and financial inputs and f9 giving greater access to credit and other material and financial inputs. 5very aspect of these measures was rigorously developed and provided to the already commercialized rich farmers who as a result turned into capitalist farmers and the most profit.oriented class. All of them were in Andhra. It created new prosperity in the core area. &ue to the concentration of 3reen :evolution)s means of production ta*en from Telangana area and technology in the Andhra capitalist farms the efficiency and labour productivity of these farms was greater than bac*ward ones in Telangana. 1nder these internal colonial conditions agricultural mar*et price is determined by the price of production of capitalist agriculture that accumulated by the Andhra region elites. Telangana agitation of !"6=.6" comes in the bac*ground of these developments in Andhra Pradesh. The fall in employment opportunities and flouting of mul*i rules brought into sharp focus the underdeveloped region)s plight. !2 &uring the 7hief Ministership of P.<. /arasimha :ao Andhra Pradesh witnessed another agitation. This time in the Andhra region. The agitation was the outcome of the Supreme 7ourt)s 'udgment on what was *nown as the DMul*i :ulesK. The people of the Andhra region who wants the immediate abolition of the Mul*i rules were ta*en bac*. People of Andhra region felt that their dignity and honor could be safe guarded only in a separate state of their own. In order to achieve a separate Andhra State they started an agitation popularly *nown as the ?ai Andhra movement. Sensing the changed mood of the people the central 3overnment held discussions with leaders of both regions and evolved what is
!2

Ibid. p. #$

!C

*nown as the Si( Point +ormula in !";2. Abolition of mul*i rules and Telangana :egional 7ommittee and establishment of a 7entral 1niversity at 0yderabad were the important points of the formula. Bith the result of Si( Point +ormula the State was divided into seven zones within the framewor* of three regions namely 7oastal Andhra :ayalaseema and Telangana treating the capital city as a separate entity. III P"AS+: #$$. on/ards In the decade of !""$s once again separate Telangana movement had started by the few individuals and organizations. There were many ups and downs in the movement but the movement continued undaunted by betrayals. Twice every year large numbers gathered at the Martyrs Memorials in Secundrabad and 0yderabad and paid tributes to martyrs. In ?anuary !"=6 some activists decided to form JTelangana Information Trust). Soon DMa TelanganaK was launched which was closed down after sevn months due to financial troubles. More than a thousand people had gathered at its inaugural function at @asant Tal*ies >achiguda. Around !""! two organizations Telangana Students +ront and Telangana Giberation Students Erganization were launched in Esmania 1niversity. In !""% the >a*atiya 1nit of Telangana Students +ront was formed. A national seminar on small states was held in landscape 3ardens and Tagore Auditorium in August !""2. Surendra Mohan inaugurated the conference and ?ustice Madava :eddy addressed the gathering. 3eorge +ernandez addresses the concluding session. 8!%9 Stirrings of a new movement could be clearly seen in Barangal on !st /ovember !""6 at the Telangana Pra'a Samithi convention attended by more than five thousand delegates from all parts of Telangana. The 0yderabad convention was held on !st &ecember !""6 and after that a series of conferences group and public meetings have been held at 3odavari*hani >arimnagar Siddipet ?angaon Aler 3hanpur /izamabad >hamma /algonda the old city of 0yderabad and @hongir. The @hongir conference and the public meeting proved to be a turning point. The @hongir conference was addressed among others by >alo'i /aran :ao &r. ?ayashan*ar Prof. P. G. <ishweshwara :ao and others. 8!29 There was a meeting on %". 2$ &ecember !""; at Baranagal 3addar and people)s poet >alo'i was also participated. @efore the movement was held un*nown persons threatened 3addar

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that if he participates in the movement they will *ill on the stage itself with the help of bomb blast. @ut 3addar participated and written a song called Dnee Patanai vastunnanammo maa ammalara- Nee padalaku vandalammo maa ammalara. >alo'i sad in his speech those who are threatened 3addar let them *ill him and 3addar if they have dare enough to *ill them. There were three la*h people were participated in the meeting.!# The emotions and forces generate by the movement were not strong enough however a demand for separate statehood was continuing. @ut in !""$)s once again the issue of separate state rises up when @harathiya ?anatha Party promised for separate Telangana State if they came to power. @ut the @?P could not create separate Telangana State because of the opposition from its coalition partners Telugu &esam Party. These developments brought new life into separate Telangana movement by the year %$$$. 7ongress party MGA)s from Telangana region supported the separate Telangana State and formed a Telangana 7ongress Gegislators +orum. In another development a new party called Telangana :ashtra Samiti 8T:S9 was formed by >. 7handra She*ar :ao in %$$! with the single agenda of a creating separate Telangana State with 0ydarebad as its capital. It argued that Telangana is e(cluded from all sorts of developments and opportunities in political power that made them dream of Telangana as a separate state. 0ence it is essential to pressurize the state through people)s movements. Through which they are e(pecting inclusive strengthen and deepen the democracy. 5(clusion means not merely social and economic marginalization of the sections but also the regions. The Telangana movement once again became the essential phenomenon in Indian politics after the formation of Telangana :astra Samiti in %$$! by >. 7handrase*ara :ao on the issue of Telangana. 0e has ta*en up the protests and demonstrations against the T&P government for the implementations of the 6!$ 3E employment to the Telangana youth construction of irrigation pro'ects through which party demand separate Telangana state with the support of the youth employees teacher women artists and intellectuals. 0e campaigned all over the Telangana and e(plained the bac*wardness of Telangana and its culture importance of local gods and goddess and e(plained how their culture and
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<aravara :ao <eshala Ai*ya Sangatana Andhra ?yothi !6.!%.$= p.#.

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language being undermined by the leaders of Andhra from all the political parties. T:S held training classes for the students and the youth to e(plain the reasons for separate state. In these classes they e(plained how their language culture was undermined and betrayed by the leaders of the Andhra region. T:S promised employment to the youth chief ministership for &alits &eputy 7hief Minister for Minorities. Then later A. /arendra formed the party and named as Telangana Sadana Samti and participated in the local body elections and 0yderabad municipal election F%$$! but could not gain the people)s support hence he merged his party with the T:S. Then later Ms. <i'ayashanti film actress turned politician formed the Telangana Talli Party for the cause of separate Telangana State. Along with the political parties artists are active in the movement. @ut in before the general elections she 'oined the T:S and contested from the Meda* Go* Sabha and won the elections. In %$$# for Assembly and Parliamentary 5lections 7ongress Party and T:S had an electoral alliance in Telangana region with the promise of separate Telangana State. 7ongress came to power in the State and formed 7oalition government in the 7entre. T:S 'oined the 7oalition government in %$$# and was successful in ma*ing separate Telangana State as a part of the 7ommon Minimum Programme 87MP9 of the 7oalition government. In September %$$6 T:S withdrew support for the 7ongress led coalition government at the 7entre on the grounds of indecision in the government and the delivery of its electoral promise to create Telangana. In &ecember %$$6 T:S won the bye. election to >arimnagar Parliamentary 7onstituency which is considered by many as a referendum on Telengana State with a record margin. Ence again all the MPs and MPs who were elected on T:S party symbol resigned to their membership and went for the bye.elections but they lost the elections. After the bey.elections there was a debate once again on the Telangana. one section of the people argued people of Telangana doesn)t want separate statehood as T:S lost the half of their setting seats. The political formulations have changed. &evenadar 3oud along with Peddi :eddy were come out from Telugu &esam Party and formed a new party i.e. /ava Telangana Party. Bith this pressure T&P also agreed to bifurcate the Andhra Pradesh and supported Telangana state demand. Bith the result there was a lot of pressure on congress 0igh 7ommand for

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creating a separate State. &uring the time of campaign >.7.:. addressed a seminar on Small States held at 1niversity of 0yderabad by saying that T:S is not for repeat of !"6" violence and the party wants the State to be bifurcated peacefully. 0e said this is not a fight between two races they are demanding a restoration of Telangana State which e(isted already once. En the other hand a section of 7ongress leaders are supporting Telangana within the party those who are from Telangana region. 7B7 member and senior M.P. 3. <en*ataSwamy lead the Telangana group said there would be no compromise on their stand. Be will continue the agitation till the 1PA 3overnment concedes the demand for separate State. +rom the 7ongress point of view Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh are two ma'or States which can ma*e the party)s fortune to wrest or retain power at the 7entre since both 1.P. and @ihar have slipped out of hands of the party almost two decades ago. A.P. and Maharashtra together have "$ Go*Sabha seats. If Maharashtra and A.P. too are bifurcate this may prove to be politically disastrous for the 7ongress. So bifurcation of A.P. would reduce the capacity of the 7ongress to garner sizable number of seats because regional and sub. regional parties may gain upper hand in the bifurcated portions. So &r. I.S. :a'ashe*ar :eddy is saying that it would not be possible for 1PA government to concede to the demand for separate Telengana before the ne(t elections since there was no consensus among the coalition constituents on the issue and that the congress could ta*e a decision only if it is able to secure a ma'ority and form the government at the centre on its own. !omparison of different Phases: If we compare the different phases there were four important issues too* place in first two phases li*e Police Action Mul*i Moment State :eorganization 7ommission and 3entleman)s Agreement and in the second phase followed by Telangana Agitation later it leads to ?ai Telangana Moment +ormation of a political party called Telangana Pra'a Samiti ?ai Andhra Moment and Si( Point +ormula. If we loo* at similarities between the first two phases first phase ended with D3entleman)s AgreementK and formed A.P. State

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and the latter one also ended with DSi( Point +ormulaK and it avoided the bifurcation of the State. If we loo* at three phases the second phase was turned so violent however there were two outcomes to the people of the two regions. Ene was P.<. /arasimha :ao was elected as the first 7.M. from Telangana :egion and second was Andhra people got satisfied by abolition of Mul*i rules. And the establishment of a 7entral 1niversity in Telangana :egion was a greater achievement of this phase. In the first phase only the leaders from both regions within the 7ongress party represented 3entlemen)s Agreement whereas in the second phase students from 0yderabad and all over the region participated very actively if loo* at in the third phase some national parties as well as regional parties participating in Telangana moment. 0owever from the last five decades since the formation of A.P a strong feeling has ta*en roots among the people of this region including the minorities that gross in'ustice has been done to them and their region despite the assurances trotted out by the successive regimes to fully abide by the 3entleman)s Agreement Mul*i rules and Si( Point +ormula etc. 0ormation of Separate Telangana Movement: Political Developments: Telangana is today a hot issue and something no party can ignore to address. It has become imperative for every political party worth the name in A.P to ac*nowledge the issue of separate Telangana. 7ongress.I Telangana :astra Samithi had a political alliance and controversial understanding on the demand of separate state during the recent 8%$$#9 elections that dethroned Telugu &esam does not re-uire any additional emphasis to point out the importance of the demand for separate state. All the politics are about the Dappropriate time and the art of its interpretation. It is necessary to accept these facts to ac*nowledge that demand for the separate state has a history and people support. Telangana movement is playing a vital role in Indian politics since !"6$s. Ence again the movement got enormous support from all sections of the region when T:S emerged as a strong political force. Initially T:S was not considered as a political party for sometime but later it decided to wor* as a political group but later they converted it into a political party. They contested in the local body elections and won ma'ority seats.%$$%. This response clearly reflected the aspirations of the people in favour of separate Telangana

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state. All the political parties: 7ongress.I @?P @SP :?& etc. have ta*en a stand in favour on the demand of Telangana but T&P is not in a favour of Telangana state initially till %$$=. It has its own reasons for not to support the smaller states but in before %$$" general elections it supported the Telangana State demand. T:S emerged on the issue of Telangana. @?P support the bifurcation of Andhra as it is in favour of smaller states. +mergence of Telangana astra Samithi and +lectoral Politics: In !""" Go* Sabha general elections @?P promised the separate states by promising Done vote.two statesK. @ut it did not stand on its stand and say did not get full ma'ority in Go* Sabha. Since !"6$s the 7ongress party has been ma*ing use of the sentiment for Telangana and getting political mileage out of the Telangana demand. !"6$s &r. Marri 7henna :eddy mobilized public support in favour of separate Telangana. 0is party won eleven Go* Sabha seats. Smt Indira 3andhi tried her level best to cool down the movement by offering minor development programmes. It is also very important to understand the development that neglected in the Telangana region during the Telugu &esam Party)s regime. People of Telangana region thought that Andhra educated youth robbing the employment opportunities of local youth. The leadership in Andhra Pradesh also has been pursuing policies detrimental to the interest of the region. The Telugu &esam leadership made Telangana a laboratory for the policies prescribed by the Borld @an* which resulted in neglect of agriculture in the region and caused migration of Telangana people from villages to towns cities and in many cases to places outside the country. Illegal diversion of water resources has reached it pea* during the present 7ongress regime. The pet pro'ects of present regime namely Pothireddypadu Pulichintala will turn Telangana into desert. This once again made the people of Telangana region demand for the separate statehood. The process of globalization also added to that additional. This development gave the rise movement for separate state and new political party that Telangana :astra Samithi formed by >. 7handrase*har :ao in the year of %$$! and won good number of seats in local body elections that made the 7ongress party to have an alliance with the T:S in the year of %$$# general elections.

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Separate Telangana Movement: Second Phase: After a gap of more than 2$ years the issue of statehood for Telangana has come to occupy the centre stage of electoral politics in Andhra Pradesh and is li*ely to have a significant impact on the prospects of ma'or political parties in the Assembly elections. It was in !";! that the Telangana Pra'a Samithi 8TPS9 had bagged !! of the !# Go* Sabha seats in the region in the wa*e of a prolonged agitation led by Marri 7hanna :eddy during !"6".;$ for a separate State. The MPs who were elected on the plan* of separate Telangana at that time 'oined the 7ongress later and the movement eventually petered out. Bith the fledgling Telangana :ashtra Samithi 8T:S9 emerging as a strong force in some of the Telangana districts this time. Ironically the @?P which revived the issue of smaller States and brought bac* the Telangana factor into focus by adopting the Lone vote two StatesM resolution at >a*inada in !""= has now *ept the issue in cold storage due to electoral compulsions as its ally and the ruling party the T&P has re'ected the demand for bifurcating the State and has decided to see* the mandate for a united Andhra Pradesh. The fact that the 7ongress high command has now agreed to appoint a Telangana :egional 7oordination 7ommittee after persistently re'ecting the demand of the 7ongress +orum for Telangana 87+T9 for a separate Pradesh 7ongress 7ommittee 8P779 for Telangana could be seen as a clear ac*nowledgement of its importance in the ensuing elections. Senior 7ongress leader and 7B7 member 3hulam /abi Azad during the NPra'ahitaMM bus tour of Telangana has sought to assure people by saying that the 7ongress respected their sentiments. Political observers feel that the 7ongress is not coming out openly in support of a separate State as it might affect its chances in Andhra. Agreeing that the Telangana issue would have some impact in the elections The sentiment might remain stronger if T:S went alone and might get diluted if an accord was reached between the T:S and the 7ongress he observed. T S Politics: In %$$# general elections.7ongress party had a coalition with T:S whose main ob'ective was separate statehood for the Telangana. @oth the political parties campaigned together

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in Telangana region in favour of their candidates. Ene of the public meetings Ms Sonia 3andhi President 7ongress party said D0er party was for separate Telangana state and respects the sentiments of peopleK. The people believed as there was no other party which was supporting the Telangana state. They reached thumping ma'ority in both the Go* Sabha and the Assembly elections and formed the governments at both the state and the central levels. The Telugu &esam Party clearly said in their election manifesto that they do not support the smaller states as it leads to disintegration of the state. It believed that smaller states would enhance the power of the anti.social and anti state activities. After the formation of the 1nion government Ms. Sonia 3andhi invited >. 7handrase*ar :ao and A. /arendra to 'oin the union cabinet without assuring Telangana separate state on the pressure from the T:S 1P5 agreed to include the issue in Telangana in the 1P5 7ommon Minimum Programme. @oth the leaders of T:S 'oined the union cabinet. 5ven in the presidential address &r. Abdul >alam President of India mentioned about the Telangana separate statehood. 1P5 has constituted a committee with Pranab Mu*argee as a chairman to arrive at the consensus on separate Telangana State. Many parties in 1P5 and non 1P5 believe that smaller states meet people)s aspirations in terms of access to the administrative apparatus as well as developmental needs. It may be recalled that the 7ongress party in Andhra Pradesh had an electoral understand with Telangana :astra Samithi 8T:S9 and won the %$$# Assembly and Go* sabha elections. %$$# elections reaffirm the historic mandate of !";! elections given by the Telangana people to Telanagna Pra'a Samithi 8TPS9 which won !! seats out of !# parliament seats. As part of the electoral understanding the 7ongress party promised statehood for Telangana. This was also reiterated by the President of India in his 'oint address to parliament and it was also included in the 7ommon Minimum Programme of the 1PA 3overnment. 0owever strangely the 7ongress Party chose to appoint Pranab Mu*ar'ee committee which has become synonymous with delay and indecision. The committee despite receiving letters of support from many political parties favouring statehood for Telangana has not submitted its report to the government as on today for the reasons best *nown to it. The 7ongress Party however has been saying that 7PM is opposed to formation of Telangana State and that 1PA government survives on the

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support e(tended by the 7PM. 0owever having survived the no.confidence motion in Parliament recently without the support of 7PM there are no hurdles for introduce a bill in the ensuing parliament session. Telangana people are of the view that 7ongress has e(ploited the democratic aspirations of people of Telangana for mere electoral gains and that it has no respect for the overwhelming e(pression of people articulated through electoral process. People of Telangana strongly feel that an end to the plunder of resources denial and deprivation of Telangana of their legitimate share in resources and political process is possible only when Telangana people have a state of their own. It is only by having political power in their hands the people of Telangana will be able to script their destiny. There time has come for the 1PA government and its ma'or constituent the congress party to introduce a bill in Go* Sabha for creating State of Telangana. Ma'or political parties in the State e(cept 7ongress have ac*nowledged the democratic desire of the Telangana people and have passed resolutions to this effect. @esides many civil society organizations have been actively participating in the movement towards creating separate Telangana and have been wor*ing with commitment to spread awareness about the in'ustices meted out to the people of Telangana about the violations of 7onstitutional guarantees un'ust e(ploitation of Telangana resources for the development of coastal Andhra and denial of legitimate share of political power.!C >.7.: tried to convince the academicians from all over the country. 0e attended the round table discussion on smaller states organized by the Academic Staff 7ollege. 1niversity of 0yderabad on #th +eb %$$=. 0e emphasized that T:S party has a political agenda to solve the problem of /a(alism after the formation of separate Telangana state. 0e emphasized that separatist movement was not an ethnic struggle targeted at people of coastal districts. People demanding the separate state had no right to disturb the lives of people hailing from the coastal districts who had settled down in the region particularly 0yderabad. The movement would lose the human angle if the migrants were targeted he said. Moreover development of the region would be effected by the mutual acrimony. 0e emphasized development is the civic right of people and separate state is their birthright.
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Memorandum submitted to 1PA 7hair Person To demand formation of Telanagna State /ava Telangana Pra'a Party and other 7ivil Society Associations on %%.!$.%$$=.

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&evelopment was no substitute for self.respect and self.administration. &evelopment in real terms mean)t increase in purchasing power of people. That had not happened in the last decades. >. 7handrase*har :ao also promised If Telangana state comes in true his government would ta*e the steps to develop on all grounds. 0is party will setup the idols of Sevalal mahara' and >omaram @him who are the spiritual and political leaderers of Tribals twelve percentage of reservations for them all tandas will be recognized as panchayats distribute the three acres of land with irrigation facilities and loan will be given for a year without any interest and birth and death anniversary of tribal leaders will celebrate officially.!6 En ;th +eb %$$= Telangana :astra Samithi gave a call for one.day relay hunger stri*e all over the region of Telangana. Thousands of people were participated in the stri*e. >7: participated in relay hunger stri*e at Indira Par* 0yderabad. 0e demanded for resignation of congress M.G.As MPs and MG7s of the region. 0e claimed IS: is the main constraint to separate Telangana. 0e suggested 7ongress leaders not to praise him for their political interests as people of Telangana wound not forgive them. 0e also said it would not ta*e one day to whip up the tensions and repeat the turbulent period at the pea* of the separate Telangana agitation in !"6". @ut the leaders of the movement did not have a negative approach. 0e emphasized if congress party delay the issue people would not *eep silence agitation may go beyond their hands. If this ta*es place 7ongress party would be the responsible for that. >. ?ayasan*ar re-uested the people of Telangana not to involve any *ind of violent activities as IS: 7hief Minister of Andhra Pradesh trying to provo*e the people to involve in violent activities. 0e whispered I. S. :a'ase*ara :eddy as the violent. As a form of protest MGAs MPs and MG7s from the Telangana :astra Samithi resigned to their posts and went for the elections. &uring the elections campaign all political parties e(cept 7PI 8M9 directly or indirectly supported the cause of Telangana state. I.S :a'ase*ara :eddy said in his public meetings his party i.e. 7ongress Party would respect the sentiment of the people for the separate Telangana state and the formation of separate state is possible only with 7ongress Party.
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<aartha !%.!%. %$$=

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En the Ether hand with the resignations of its +our M.Ps Si(teen M.G.A)s and Three M.G.7)s Telangana :ashtra Samiti is strengthening up for the big battle ahead for separate statehood for the Telangana region. The party is trying to launch campaigns in all over the region to protest the delay in the formation of Telangana state by the 1.P.A government. 0owever the 7ongress ma*ing sounds in its own way that it is in no mood to ta*e a decision on the controversial statehood issue in the near future. /ow T.:.S is ban*ing on the Telangana Sentiment and Sympathy over DsacrificeK to stage a comebac* on the other hand the 7hief Minister &r.I.S. :a'ashe*ar :eddy is relying on the development plan* to resolve the situation. @.?.P and 7.P.I. also ma*ing sounds on this issue of separate statehood. Telugu &esam Party also faced the trouble with Mr.T. &evender 3oud and Mr. >adiyam Srihari pressurized Mr.7handrababu /aidu not to ignore the Telangana Sentiment. 0owever the demand for separate statehood for Telangana has been dominating the State)s Politics for over C$ years. 7hiran'eevi said his party was for a )social) Telangana where the social 'ustice would be rendered to the under.privileged castes. 0e said Telangana was not a bac*ward region but it was pushed into bac*wardness by canny politicians. 0e however made it clear that his party would not Je(ploit) the Telangana sentiment for political gains. Mr. 7hiran'eevi announced his support for the formation of a separate State there would be no stopping for him in Telangana as well as in all other regions of the State.

1..$2 3eneral elections and electoral Politics: &uring the election campaign Sonia 3andhi has said in the public meeting that 7ongress Party is not opposed to Separate Telangana State in principle but she argues that 7ongress Party thin*s there is a need to consider the sentiments of other regions settlers in 0yderabad and the problems of 0yderabad Muslims in case Telangana state is formed. &uring the last Assembly sessions and 7hief Minister of Andhra Pradesh announced in the Assembly that government is not opposed to separate Telangana state.

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0is party could respect the sentiments of the people of Telangana but it is re-uired to study the problems of several sections of the state and the regions while forming the separate Telangana State before the elections. &uring the election campaign 7hief Minister has constituted the 7abinet Sub 7ommittee to study the problems of other regions and the security of Muslims in 0yderabad city. /o opposition party 'oined the committee as they argued that government constituted the committee only for the political opportunism. In contrast to his commitment that announced in the Assembly said that the settlers from coastal Andhra and :ayalaseema in Telangana will become foreigners if a separate Telangana state is formed as Telangana :astra Samithi is part of the Maha >ootami 83rand Alliance9 in a public meeting at /andyal in >urnool district of :ayalaseema region. @ut the same 7ongress party and I. :a'ase*har :ao during the election campaign in Telangana had said that it had no reservations on the formation of separate Telangana state and in principle they are not opposed to Separate Telangana State. A vote for the Telugu &esam Party would mean that people of :ayalaseema and coastal Andhra regions will have to live li*e foreigners in 0yderabad because the party has aligned with the Telangana :ashtra Samithi which is wedded to the creation of a separate state. The 7ongress in its election manifesto has said that it has no ob'ection to formation of a Telangana state. 7ongress president Sonia 3andhi had promised to accord top priority to the issue. The T&P which reversed its traditional stand to support Telangana demand last year has pledged that if voted to power it will initiate measures for carving out a separate state. The second and perhaps more important tas* is to drive home the point that the two ma'or irrigation pro'ects F Polavaram and Pulichintala. ta*en up in coastal Andhra would be stopped in the event of the T&P coming to power because of T:S ob'ection to both the schemes on the ground that Telangana would be starved of water if the gigantic pro'ects come up. 7ompare this with what the 7hief Minister had said in a written statement in the Assembly in its last session of Assembly: DTelangana issue is close to my heart and we are committed to addressing the demand.K Er for that matter what Sonia 3andhi said at an election rally at @hongir in Telangana: DIf at all there is a party which can deliver Telangana it is the 7ongress. People should not trust the T&P. T:S alliance.K +urther IS: also says that the erstwhile Telugu &esam Party 8T&P9 3overnment completely neglected irrigation pro'ects in the region that were

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witnessing severe drought triggering the demand for a separate state. 0is government undertoo* irrigation pro'ects and other rural developmental activities in a focused manner. In the last three.and.a.half years over :s !$ $$$ crore has been spent on irrigation pro'ects in the region. Bhile some of these pro'ects have been completed others are nearing completion. Thus the situation is different now then earlier.#, he also cautioned the people of Andhra and :ayalaseema that supporting the T&P meant endorsing the demand for a separate state of Telangana at the e(pense of the interests of the people in Andhra and :ayalaseema regions.. #& The Telugu &esam PartyMs 8T&P9 decision to support the demand for separate statehood for Andhra PradeshMs Telangana region has brought the issue bac* to the centrestage and is li*ely to put pressure on the ruling 7ongress party to ta*e a similar stand ahead of the elections scheduled to be held in five months. The fact that the T&P was forced to reverse its %6.year.old ideological plan* of unified Andhra Pradesh proves how significant the issue has become in the run up to the simultaneous polls to state assembly and Go* Sabha. The T&P is the first ma'or political party with state.wide presence to ta*e a clear stand in favour of the si(.decade old demand for separate Telangana state. The T&P had fought the %$$# elections on the plan* of united Andhra Pradesh. The party not only lost power to the 7ongress party but was nearly wiped out from Telangana. The partyMs strength in the assembly came down drastically to #C. The 7ongress had then fought elections in alliance with Telangana :ashtra Samiti 8T:S9 fighting for separate Telangana and two 7ommunist parties. The electoral understanding with T:S was based on the 7ongressM assurance to help achieve the separate state. 0owever with the 7ongress.led 1nited Progressive Alliance 81PA9 government failing to ta*e any concrete step for formation of Telangana the T:S pulled out of the coalition and accused 7ongress of once again betraying the people of Telangana. It termed the formation of a three.member committee led by Pranab Mu*her'ee to loo* into the
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Separate Telangana will be safe haven for /a(als: IS:

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IS: shoc*s Telangana !; April %$$" 5(press /ews Service

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demand as a delaying tactic. The 7ongress state unit left the issue to party president Sonia 3andhi for a final decision. Bith T&P reversing its stand pressure is li*ely to mount on the 7ongress to ta*e a clear stand on the issue. The party was under attac* for holding tal*s with T&P for electoral alliance without the latter supporting a separate state. As the Pra'a :a'yam Party 8P:P9 floated recently by 7hiran'eevi has also hinted at a pro. Telangana stand it is only the 7ongress party whose stand on the issue remains ambiguous. Interestingly it was T&P leader > 7handrase*hara :ao who -uit the party in %$$! to form T:S and revive the Telangana movement. The T&P also witnessed desertions on the issue more recently. Its senior leader T &evender 3oud seen as number two in the party -uit to float /ava Telangana Pra'a Party 8/TPP9 to bolster the movement for a separate state.#$ Political Activism in Separate Telangana Movement: There are two *inds of participation in democratic states that plays a vital role in democratic countries: representative politics and civil societal activism. In Telangana movement one could see civil society organizations and political parties wor*ing for the cause irrespective of their identities and ideologies. They strongly believe that effective weapon to mobilize the people with cultural activities. There are many civil society associations are direct or indirectly supporting the Telangana movement. Many intellectuals academicians and human rights activists have been raising their voice in favour of separate statehood for Telangana. AP7G7 and 0uman :ights +orum and revolutionary groups all support the cause. They argue that the statehood for the Telangana region was also a democratic solution to the problems of the region as the region was pushed down in all spheres in spite of rich natural resources. Ene among these organizations was 7ommittee of 7oncerned 7itizens 87779. It consists of intellectuals administrators writers and human rights activists. The revolutionary parties are also support the cause. 777 has ta*en the initiation to bring the revolutionary
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Telangana bac* in centrestage of AP politics +ri.Ect !$ %$$= 0yderabad 4 Indo.

Asian /ews Service

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groups for the peace tal*s with 3overnment of Andhra Pradesh and succeeded to bringing them for the peace tal*s. In the process of peace tal*s the revolutionary groups demanded the distribution of land and the separate Telangana state in the first phase of tal*s. In their agenda there was separate Telangana state. @ut the peace tal*s were failed. There were no second round tal*s between the government and Maoists. Many associations are demand the construction of irrigation pro'ects that can cater the needs of Telangana and a comprehensive land distribution programme should be underta*en in the state with special focus on Telangana. Telangana <idyavantula <edi*a 8+orum for Telangana 5ducationists9 under the leadership of 3. >odandaram wor*ing for the cause of Telangana. Telangana 0istory +orum also argues that the history of Telangana is undermined and interpreted it as in favour of Andhra. 0ence they started rewriting of their culture political developments etc. Though the concept of Telangana Talli 8mother of Telangana9 was earlier but once again all the organizations artists political parties from the Telangana region are started tal*ing about the Telangana Talli and argues in the name of Telugu Talli 8mother of Andhra Pradesh9 leaders from Andhra neglected the region of Telangana in all the development activities. In supporting the concept of Telangana Talli T:S installed the idols of Telangana Talli 8mother of Telangana9 all the over the region. 3. 0aragopal argues that in the region of Telangana common people are not living with peaceful as daily the encounters are ta*ing place between the common people police and Maoist groups. It resulted in migration from this region to Arab countries and main cities of India. 0ence he argues peace in region is possible only in the separate Telangana separate state. The 1nion and State governments claim that if separate Telangana State would form there is a possibility of strengthen the /a(alite problem in the state and Telangana will become a tool of the /a(alites is stale obviously it will impact on national security. This one of the reasons they are delaying the issue. @ut the scholars who are wor*ing on democracy and movements argue that it is not at all impact on the national integrity but they say by formulating the separate statehood it would fulfill the aspirations of the people. Moreover it is democratic demand and in fact it has been articulated by the general people itself but not by the leaders though it is fact that political

2$

leaders from the same region hi'ac*ed the movement and made use of the movement for their self interests and try to fulfill their political opportunities. They also argue this argument has no credence as the /a(alite problem is not confined to Telangana alone in the State or in the country. /a(alites are also in the coastal region of <isha*apatnam Sri*a*ulam 5ast and Best 3odavari districts 8Andhra Pradesh9 Erissa 7hhattisgarh @ihar and almost everywhere. It is also argue that /a(alism did not ta*e birth in Telangana and /a(alism of the Telangana region was led and guided by the Andhra comrades for a long time. /a(alism came from Best @engal and is very much part of our contemporary national ethos. It is strange that we find people suddenly becoming shortsighted to associate /a(alism with only Telangana. This is an ill informed alibi if not an irresponsible allegation. Separate Telangana Movement: Dalit Perspective: &r. Ambed*ar argued for the separate electorates for &alits. The formation of smaller states could be seen from the Ambed*arite perspectives the formation of separate Telangana state would wea*en the monopoly of the dominant castes and pave the way for the ma'ority sections of the population to ta*e over the state power that was long denied to them. @y participating in the separate Telangana movement e(cluded sections are striving to get 'ustice in separate state and they believe it leads to inclusive politics. As all these groups believe that after the formation Andhra Pradesh region of Telangana is undermined in all the spheres and argue that only separate Telangana state is the solution as they rule their state by their own. There is also demand come from bac*ward classes that what *ind of Telangana they re-uire either geographical or democratic Telangana. If Telangana gets separate state which section would en'oy the political powerO The -uestion of rights is involved in it. &alit scholars and human rights activists argue that as few elite classes who are socially dominated they are en'oying the privileges remained privileges i.e. economy and political spheres. 0ence it argues feudal social legacy dominancy will continue in the post.Telangana &alits will continue to suffer. It is not enough to get the political power.

2!

They are demanding distribution of land financial support to the dalits to cultivate the land. They argue that demanding merely the irrigation pro'ects to Telangana is not enough as it benefits the elite farmers. It is held that &alits should get mobilize unite and lead a &alit movement parallel to the Telangana movement. It would encourage new leadership from &alit community. Then dalits would also grow strong li*e other elite sections to be able to bargain the political power in post Telangana. 0ence the &alits started asserting their rights and demand the share in political power. Another section of &alit scholars also argue that they don)t want Telangana to be a separate state but they want to live with self.respect and dignity and rights should be protected and respected. A third section of &alit group support and actively participate in Telangana movement. They argue if separate state forms dominant castes may get wea*en in terms of political moral and economic and they may lose the support from the same communities from the others regions of Andhra pradesh. These comple(ities have to be understood in the conte(t of democracy rights and people)s movements. Tribals groups argue that they live in the forest and they depend for their livelihood on the forest and its products but governments are engaged in degradation of forest and selling of the lands to the industrialists and mafia groups instead of securing and giving the land rights to the tribals. In politics of Andhra pradesh.%$$; the concepts li*e &alit @ahu'an and Sarva Sama' Sarv'ana Sammelan under the leadership of :amachandra :ao 8senior Advocate9 >. Madava :ao 8former IAS office9. Though the concept of &alit @ahu'an was there from !""$s but all these groups tried to strengthen the unity among them against the few elite classes. Since Ms. Mayavati 8@SP9 became the 7hief Minister of 1ttar Pradesh in %$$; 1ttar Pradesh Assembly general elections based on the concept of Sarva'an Sama' it had an impact on the politics of other parts of the country including Andhra Pradesh partially. Sarwa'an Sama' means unity of S7 ST @7 and @rahmins who are economically and politically wea*. These political developments obviously impact on Telangana movement as &alit activists are mobilizing the &alit youth in support of @SP. It is supporting Telangana movement and agreed to support in the formation of Telangana state if they could come to power in 7entral.

2%

To ta*e his views to the people 3addar began a #$$.*m Jpadayatra) or wal*athon or cultural peace march from Manuguru in >hammam district for the cause of separate Telangana. &uring his peace march he advocated for a separate state through peaceful movement. 0is main slogan was Dthe people)s Telangana and democratic TelanganaK. 3iven the caste.ridden and unrepresentative character of the Indian society he argued that only a few sections are en'oying all sorts of rights. 1nless the ma'ority sections of population find representation at all levels of power structures India cannot be termed as a democratic state. &uring the peace march he tried to create awareness among the people on the need of separate state secure right over their land and water. 1nder the leadership of 3addar all artists especially from ST4ST4E@7 communities formed an Ai*ya 7ultural front and @ellaiah /ai* formed a Telangana Sangarshana Samiti and started pada yatra. All these groups are critical about the tactics and power politics of >. 7handrase*ar :ao 8T:S9 and they are campaigning for the cause of Telangana state by their own way. These recent developments indicate that there are contradictions and comple(ities in the movements. There are disparities arousing between the elite class and &alit and E@7s in Telangana movement. It could wea*en the movements. These developments have to be understood in the conte(t of new politics and rights perspective. Ms. <i'ayashanthi demanded a crash Programme to be adopted to improve educational facilities in the identified bac*ward mandals in region. She also argued for special measures to be adopted to improve the economic and social position of the dalits giri'ans 8tribal people9 and minorities.%$ A high.powered committee should be formed to underta*e a comprehensive study of the imbalanced development among different regions and districts. A development inde( for each mandal should be developed on this basis and comprehensive plans to be prepared. There should be strict implementation of 3E /o. 6!$ and rectification of past distortions and special funds to be earmar*ed for the development of bac*ward areas in every budget and a separate mechanism to be created to oversee the implementation of the special plans for the bac*ward areas.%! Apart from these demands she demand for the Separate Telangana State. These developments
%$ %!

<i'ayashanti /o personal agenda http:44www.hindu.com4%$$;4$!4%%4stories4%$$;$!%%!%$$$#$$.htm Press release by Pra*ash >arat 3enera, Secretary. 7PI 8M9 Stand on Telangana Issue.

22

indicate that the movement of Telangana ta*ing new shape in Indian politics to pressurize the governments: 1nion and State. It also in 'uncture it is an important to understand the political scenario of Muslims in region of Telangana. After the formation of Andhra Pradesh the dominance of Andhra elite and propertied class got increased in 0yderabad in particular and in the region of Telangana in general. Most of them have migrated from the Andhra and gradually owned the land for their survival and e(istence in 0yderabad city. Thereafter all the professions of Muslims in 0yderabad systematically have shifted to Andhraits. Ever a period of time Small business industries employment land etc. shifted to Andhra migrants. :esult was Muslims in 0yderabad lost their livelihood and became helpless. After %$$! attac*s on Borld @an* at Bashington highly had an impact on 0yderabad Muslims particular and Muslims in Telangana region in general. They were highly scrutinized and their activities got e(tremely suspicious by the governments. 5ven they are politically marginalized culturally apprehensive. In this regard M.&. Baheed argue that Muslims shall be realize their problems could be solved in the separate Telangana state. It is the responsibility of political parties and civil society organizations to give moral support and confident to Muslims that they will live the separate Telangana state peacefully and they would develop economically politically socially and culturally respected.11 They should get their share in political power based their population in separate Telangana state. They shall be encouraged and mobilized to participate in the Telangana movement in particular and social movement in general. Pradeep 0aglave argues in the history of movements political leaders and political parties ma*e use of the movements for their self interest. Eut of the movement they get rewards awards and political power. After getting all the benefits they forget the movement. This e(perience he says could be seen in separate Telangana state movement. Gi*e many political leaders 7henna :eddy /arendra >. 7handrase*har :ao etc. ma'ority of the leaders en'oyed the political power hence he argues it is the

%%

M.&. Bheed JTelanganaloo Tellavarani Muslimla Batukulum Pooru Telanagan 0yderabad &ec %$$; p. %!

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responsibility of the artists poets intellectuals students and youth to lead the movement till they get separate statehood.%2 The separate Telangana Movement: esponse of the 3overnment: The demand for separation is far more widespread now than in !"6" when the agitation for a separate Telangana was first launched. It has now engulfed farmers youth and women on a much lager scale. The movement of the late !"6$s petered out not 'ust because of the opportunism displayed by the leaders of the movement or due to the repressive measures of the state as is often made out. It was in the early !";$s that Indira 3andhiMs slogan of L3aribi 0ataoM caught the imagination of the poor throughout the country. /.T. :ama :ao was another charismatic leader with a pro.poor and gender. sensitive agenda who virtually too* the place of Indira 3andhi in Andhra Pradesh during !"=$s. Their credibility with the common people of Telangana was primarily responsible for sweeping the statehood issue under the carpet of development for -uite some time. 0owever the policies initiated by the charismatic leaders could not be sustained for long as the absence of commitment among their successors. The period following the demise of these leaders witnessed a ma'or shift in socio.economic policies. This phase also witnessed the negligence of agriculture rural development and the social sectors. The post.liberalization also witnessed the rural distress that brought into sharp focus the rise in regional disparities in development. A dis-uieting feature of the current political scene in Andhra Pradesh is that those still interested in the integrated State refuse to learn the lessons from the since the agitation for a separate Telangana in the decade of !"6$s. Etherwise they would not have initiated a diversionary move li*e the constitution of the Second StatesM :eorganization 7ommission 8S:79. +ifty years ago the first S:7 had recommended the formation of Telangana as a separate State in response to the simmering discontent in the region. The new S:7 in the present circumstances of widespread discontent is most li*ely to endorse the recommendation of the first S:7.%#
%2

0ead of the department 7entre for Ambed*ar Studues Mumbai 1niversity delivered a lecture in #th state meetings at >arimnagar Telanganaloo Sams*ruthoodyhamam Modalaindi Poru Telangana p. ;%. %# 7.0. 0anumantha :ao 7hairman 7entre for 5conomic and Social Studies 0yderabad, source: http:44www.hindu.com4%$$;4$!4$=4stories4%$$;$!$=$!"2!$$$.htm new imperatives

2C

The merger of Telangana with Andhra became possible because of a series of promises made and guarantees given. @ut none of them has been honoured. The 3entlemen)s agreement that was an assurance of fair play given to the people of Telangana was scuttled the very same day on which the state was born. The result was a massive revolt of the people of the region in !"6=.!"6". Subse-uent assurances given in the form of an All Party Accord 5ight Point +ormula +ive Point +ormula and Si( Point +ormula met with the same fate. 5ven a 'udgment given by the Supreme 7ourt of India in favour of employees of Telangana region was void by an Act of Parliament. As a cumulative effect of all these developments the Telangana region continues to remain bac*ward in every sphere of activity inspite of the fact that the region is rich in resource endowment. 5ven the minimum and legitimate aspirations of the people of the region have not been fulfilled, the natural mineral and human resources of the region have been e(ploited for the benefit of outsiders. The balance sheet of development in the region has left a legacy of horrible spectrum of pain poverty penury suffering starvation stigma and struggle. There has been e(tensive scale of emigration from the region. The conspicuous isolation and neglect of Telangana can be evidenced by the fact that so far in the history of Andhra Pradesh not even a single person from the region could adorn the office the Advocate 3eneral of the 0igh 7ourt of the Andhra Pradesh. The people of Telangana are once again restive reiterating their demand for a separate state. The demand of the people of this region for a separate state is not a new development. It was voiced much before the formation of Andhra Pradesh and continues to be raised even thereafter. The reason for the opposition of people of Telangana to 'oin <isalandhra 8metamorphosed to Andhra Pradesh9 was fear of neglect and in'ustice in the enlarged state and the reason for their refusal to continue in the present state is the actual e(perience of becoming victims of neglect and in'ustice. The people of Telangana have been demanding a State of their own from the days of State)s :e.Erganization following independence in the year !"#;. The region has a distinct geo.cultural identity and its merger with Andhra State in the year !"C6 was in utter disregard of recommendations of +azal Ali commission which went into the issue of

26

States :eorganization set up under the State :e.Erganization Act. The commission toured e(tensively in the State and received representations in la*hs and interviewed thousands of people and finally recommended that language alone cannot be basis for formation of a state. In the considered opinion of the 7ommission the Telangana region has a distinct geo.cultural identity and the merger with Andhra State will be to the disadvantage of the Telangana people. 0owever brushing aside these recommendations the then leaders of 7ongress with grandiose designs and imperialistic outloo* merged the state of 0yderabad with the State of Andhra. The 7ongress leadership was guided by language criterion as basis for re.organizing States in India. It is pertinent to recall the famous statement of Pandit ?awaharlal /ehru at the /izamabad meeting soon after a decision was ta*en to merge the state of 0yderabad with the State of Andhra. 0e said that the merger of two regions was li*e a marriage between an innocent girl 8Telangana9 and a naughty boy that it was a marriage on trial and if it does not last they could part ways. The co.e(istence has never been based on trust e-uality and respect as the history of relationship between the two regions since !"C6 shows. The apprehensions e(pressed and cautions issued by +azal Ali proved prophetic. The merger was conditional inasmuch as the people of Telangana were offered many safeguards such as local 'obs for local people, revenue generated in the region to be spent for the development of the region and e-uitable share in the political power and so on. 0owever it is a historical fact that these safeguards were observed in breach. 0istory is also witness to the unbridled e(ploitation of resources of the region such as river waters and coal for the development of coastal Andhra region. &enial of employment and educational opportunities to the youth of Telangana resulted in the famous !"6" Telangana agitation which too* away lives of 2;$ young men and women. The formula divided the State irrationally into si( zones fore purposes of education and employment and a new concept of Jlocal candidate) was invented in place of Jmul*i). This is once again a gross dilution of guarantees that were given at the time merger in the year !"C6. The story of deception did not end here. Many perverted interpretations were given to the definition of local candidate. As a result many local youth were deprived of employment opportunities. Bhen these in'ustices were snowballing into a potential discontent and

2;

were threatening to ta*e the shape of an agitation the Andhra leadership once again doused the ire of the people and blunted the discontent by issuing 3.E.6!$ directing that the si( point formula shall be implemented in letter and spirit. 0owever this was not to happen. It too* many more years for the State leadership to get the matter e(amined and a committee headed by Mr. 3irglani a retired 7ivil servant was appointed. The committee in its voluminous report e(posed the violations in 'ob appointments and transfer of employees. The report is in fact an indictment and censure of the government. 0owever the report has not stirred the conscience of the 3overnment. The government tried to hide its embarrassment by issuing more 3.Es to implement 3.E.6!$ but withdrew them in the wa*e of strong protest by the 5mployees Association. These were all happened 'ust because of pressure by the people)s movements and demanding for the separate statehood.%C Perceptions of espondents on Peoples Movements: As the study focuses on people)s movements to asses the democracy in general and Indian democracy in particular the study intended to interview the artists academicians singers human rights activists students and youth to asses the people)s movement in general and separate Telangana movement in particular. 5puri Somanna argue the people of Telangana have the long history of Peasants struggle Telangana militant struggle and /a(alite movement that had an impact on them. 0ence this prepared the artists to participate in the Telangana movement actively and with lot of commitment towards the movement. &uring !""$s Telangana movement aroused once again as the global mar*et privatization liberalization and globalization effected Indian economy in general Andhra Pradesh especially Telangana in particular. The handicrafts got marginalized ruptured and la*hs of people lost their employment as most of the private institutions companies4industries gained the momentum enormously. @oth the governments behaving li*e facilitators between the people and the multinational companies instead of ta*ing the initiative for the welfare of people. The sections which
%C

>. ?ayasan*ar Telangana Movement: The &emand for a State. A 0istorical Perspective: Source: http:44www.telangana.org4Papers4Article!$.pdf

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are effected from the process of globalization protested against the global institutions and against the governments. Andhra Pradesh is not e(emption from this phenomenon. Individuals institutions political parties and political society had resisted the privatization. This phenomenon had an indirect impact on Telangana people. The people of believe that separate Telangana state is only the solution for all these problems. 0e argues that Telangana State should be formed and it has to be socially responsible politically effective and economically helpful. The common people must feel that they would be secure in the separate state. 0e assumed most of the artists and activists who are wor*ing at the grassroots level are from the &alit Tribal @ac*ward classes and hail from the rural bac*ground and few of them are from elite classes. Most of them are ideologically strong committed to the Telangana movement. They could able to propagate the issue of Telangana to the people effectively. 3enerally artists ta*e the issues and articulate it write the songs in local language which people spea* and sing those songs in a simple language and try to send the message to the people effectively. As he comes from the humble and &alit bac*ground he has got attracted towards the Telangana movement as he feels that it is democratic movement which is widely supported by the civil and political society. 0e also argued that all the political parties are trying to use the traditional symbols li*e idols of Telangana Talli, Samakka and Sarakka deities, Moharam (Peerulu , martyrs of Telangana movement and the symbol of >omaram @him etc. to create the feeling of Telangana sentiment so that they could e(plain effectively about the history of Telanagna its culture socio.economic conditions of &alits adivasis and minorities. This is the way through which they mobilize people to pressurize the governments: state and central to formulate separate statehood for the Telangana sub.region. 0ence setting up of idols of Telangana Talli became the strategy of Telanagna !astra Samithi.%6 >hasim said in terms geography culture awareness political administration and the history the Telangana region are completely dissimilar from that of Andhra region. In the history of Telangana from the beginning fol* culture songs and writings had played a
%6

5ppuri Somanna artist and activist in Telangana Separate State movement interviewed on !%.!%.%$$= 2"

ma'or role and the ideology of 7ommunism influenced the people enormously. The personalities li*e Sarvail Papanna, Meera Sahe" fought against the fraud feudal system and struggled for the welfare of people. Apart from that they too* active part in the welfare of common people li*e construction of streams li*e Panagallu stream in Mahaboob /agar district. Though these movements were apolitical but had an impact on the people. Though they were all treated as the dacoits by the rulers but they struggled on behalf of the poor and marginalized. The poor people treated them as their own leaders. The writers activists and artists are influenced not merely by political identity and gender movements but by the revolutionary movements communists militant farmer)s movement and armed struggle. +armers of Telangana were more active and aware of the political issues and e(ploitation. They participated in the movement even before :ussian revolution.!"!;. All these historical factors made present generation to ta*e part in the movement.%; In the decade !"6$s separate Telangana Movement has created the political awareness among the people in the region. Many revolutionary leaders li*e M.#. Seetarama Murth$ and %ondapall$ Seetaramaiah and %.&. Sat$a Murth$ had supported the movement. The revolutionary parties during the same decade supported the movement indirectly. They fought against the social political economical cultural e(ploitation. This leadership was politically strong ideologically committed and had come forward and ta*en part in the movement. They had even created the political consciousness. Their continuous struggle he says gave scope for the in formation of political parties. +or instance Telanagna Sadana Samithi. There are organizations called !aitu %ooli Seva Sangam, Peasants struggle Na'alite movement writers and youth associations :evolutionary Briters Association (haitan$a Sama$k$a and other mass movements gave the scope for the emergence of political organizations. The cultural organization called )ana Nat$a Mandali went to the villages and e(plained the unlawful acts of Smt. Indira 3andi in the decade of !";$s. There were people)s movements li*e /a(alite movement though started at /a(albari and Sri*a*ulam district but was successfully wor*ed in the Telangana
%;

>hasim Gecturer in Telugu at Telugu Sahitya Academy Eriented 7ollege Abids.0yderabad interviewed on !6th &ecember %$$=.

#$

region. They conducted the surveys on political issues and policies and e(plained the people about the e(ploitation fraud land issues atrocities on &alits and emergency i.e. the inhuman step imposed by Smt. Indira 3andhi. They campaigned against the anti people policies that effected the common people)s daily livelihood. 0e also mentioned clearly regarding social 'ustice in separate Telangana state getting merely state will not give benefits to Scheduled 7astes Scheduled Tribes and Ether @ac*ward classes but state should provide all the facilities to live comfortable and meaningful life. Separate state should ma*e the people as the responsible citizens. It is the responsibility of the State to distribute the land to the landless along with the irrigation facilitates and fertilizes to the farmers and develops the state industrially. Irrigation pro'ects and the employment opportunities have to be provided, the free education has to be given until the higher education handicrafts have to be encouraged and provide the employment opportunities to the -ualified youth to implement these Programmes government sector has to play the ma'or role. In separate Telangana state government could not give the opportunity to the private agencies li*e health education and other employment aspects as he feels that it may again cheat the Telangana people. To provide all these welfare facilities he argues people need democratic Telangana but not merely a territorial Telangana state.%= In separate Telangana State movement initially the activists and the leaders from the elite class were participated but there was no much leadership or activists from &alits and tribes and Adivasis as they were not much motivated politically. @ut after !"=$s leaders and activists artists from Telangana have started participating in the movements as they were motivated particularly by the writers and the people)s movements. 0e also argues that &alits are more aware politically in the region of Telangana as there were not many atrocities on &alits in the region unli*e in Andhra region where atrocities li*e Psundur massacre >aramched incident where &alits were being *illed their women being raped. That indicates that in Telangana though there was feudalism and vetti 8forced labour9 there was not much *illings and atrocities on &alits. It was possible because of /a(alite Peasant Mar(ist and other revolutionary movements in the region. In terms of economy culture and education people from Telangana were not much developed and awareness
%=

Ibid.

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was lesser than those other regions in the state of Andhra Pradesh. @ecause of these reasons the rulers from Andhra region dominated Telangana ever since the formation of Andhra Pradesh politically linguistically culturally and economically. :egarding the cultural awareness in Telangana region he said in the first phase 8!"6$s9 of Telangana movement there were not many artists and writers in the movement. The movement was also not much ideologically sound and also without proper political strategy and lot of violence involved in it. Many activists were being *illed unli*e the second phase of movement there are many artists participating with the clear ideology and in a democratic way. 0undreds of artists writers have emerged and creative writings have come up and inspired songs are written by the artists. @ecause of this movement the cultural movement also became the part of Telangana movement. 0istory of Telangana also produced the artists li*e &oreti *enkanna and +r. ,ndesree. It is important to e(plain that &r. Andesree is illiterate and he belongs to bonded labour family but he has written many songs. Ene of the songs is D)ai Telangana-. )ai )ai Telangana which considered as a prayer song in Telangana movement. 0ence >a*atiya 1niversity recognized and felicitated him with the doctorate award in the year of %$$;. another reputed writer and singer 3oreti <en*anna wrote many songs which created enormous awareness among the people and had an impact on their lives. Songs li*e Palle %annru %ar.hindoo %anipin.hani %otraloo- Talli Bandhiai Pooendo.. ,nd /ddaram *eedipoote Boomi"addalaitunda-.. Pommante Poovendera Pora *oo *alasa +ora.. and many songs that have been playing a ma'or role in the movement. And there are also other prominent writers and singers li*e Maa @hoomi Sandhya <imal. ,runoda$a %alakaroola Samakh$a, !asamai Balakrishna etc. This indicates that people)s movements not merely creates awareness among the people and struggle for the 'ustice but also movement creates the people who are ideologically strong mentally prepare for the sacrifice and ma(imum e(tent try to live with meaningful life. People who are part of the movement are generally democrats and hence they struggle against the inhuman and anti democratic activities in the state and society. They also try to create the democratic culture. %"

%"

Ibid.

#%

@ased on these findings it is argued that people)s movements always strive for the deepening of democracy. 0e also mentioned that Telangana movement was not started by the political parties li*e Telangana :astra Samiti but it was started by the intellectuals writers students and those who are ideologically committed democratically strong from Telangana region. @ut the twice the movement was hi'ac*ed by the political parties li*e Telangana Sadana Samithi 8!";$s9 and Telangana :astra Simiti 8%$$!9. In the year of !""= Telangana ?ana Sabha argued that the issue of Telanagana demand is a democratic demand and represent the spirit of democracy. They also demanded for the implementation 6!$ 3.E. establishment of corporate colleges have to be stopped in the region history of Telanagna has to be protected employment opportunities have to be provided to the Telangana youth. Bith these demands Telanagna ?ana Sabaha started its campaign from village to village. /ame of the programme was 0!a.hha Banda. All these cultural and political developments made the separate Telangana movement more active but not the political parties. 3addar agues that people of Telangana don)t want the geographical Telangana but they want people)s Telangana and democratic Telangana. In separate Telangana state surplus land has to be distributed to the landless the system of landlordism should be eliminated and feudalistic nature of the rulers should be bloc*ed. There are factories natural resources investment industries which have to be ta*en bac* from the ruling class and feudal lords. The property should be distributed to the poor and disadvantaged people. Bhen these problems would get solved poor people could be developed. All these sections together should fight for the separate Telangana state which is possible only by the people)s movements. Then only the ma'ority people will get all advantages including the political power. In separate Telanagna state land should be given to the landless people e-ual distribution of wages to the both men and women people should also fight against the social evils li*e untouchability caste oppresstion and humiliation the problem of irrigation water and drin*ing water has to be solved. Social 'ustice to &alit minority based on their population should be done Muslims should be given reservations. The other demands li*e oppose the globalization and stop barrowing the money from international agencies and technology from foreign countries. Small scale

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industries have to be started right to wor* should be respected and self employment has to be provided to the educated youth.2$ Muthaiah argues constitution does not act on its own. 3overnment may not *now all the problems that the people are facing. 0ence the people)s movement plays a vital role in articulating the problems. To pressurize and to represent the problems of the people to government few individuals4 associations those who are capable have a humane concern mobilize the people and hold a protest movements. Some times the movements in democratic manner and some times beyond the democratic way. 0e also mentioned the Ambed*ar)s words. It says Dunless one: he or she democratizes one cannot democratize the societyK. @ased on this statement he argues that in the separate Telangana state first of all one has to create the awareness among the people especially among &alits Tribals and Adivasis. There should a strong movement against the landlordism feudalism and also against the caste suppression untouchability. 0e argues before attaining the separate Telangana state &alits in the region should feel that their concerns are respected. 3overnment should prepare a common agenda for &alit empowerment. 0e argues that upper caste people came forward first and too* &alits with them to strengthen the movement but they never struggled for the upliftment of &alits. Most of the leaders from the upper strata participate in the movement from the region only for the self.interest and their political survival. Thereafter he argues that separate Telangana is necessary and it should be formed as a separate statehood but only with the social 'ustice.2! 3. 0aragopal says that why the aspirations of people for separate Telangana are not fulfilled he argues the cause and conse-uences have to be analyzed. The demand only gets fulfilled when the common people participate in the movement. As the people of Telangana argue they are fighting against Andhra dominance on Telangana resources culture language polity and economy. Then after the formation of the state if the same dominance continues from own leadership and own governments then what is the alternative. 0ence he cautioned that it is people that have to watch all sorts of developments: whether negative and positive. If your own leader becomes corrupt one
2$ 2!

3addar Gecture at Telangana &iary.%$$" inauguration meeting at :avindra @harati 0yderabad. Professor in the &epartment of Political Science Esmania 1niversity interviewed on

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has to -uestion. In the history of Andhra Pradesh lot of corruption and nepotism feudal character of leadership and atrocities on &alits have ta*en place therefore it is the responsibility of the people, students youth employees and civil and political society to see that it should not happened in separate Telangana state. If once again it happens people should respond through people)s movements. 0e emphasized that in a society li*e India peoples movements could play a vital role in strengthening of democracy and fight against the dominance of all forms.2% &evender 3oud argued that every movement should run with the people)s active participation without which it cannot succeed. /ow a days movements are lac*ing the humane grounds as the leaders who are leading the movement becoming selfish and they also wor* for their own political benefits. 0ence he argues that the students youth and employees and poor people) participation is re-uired in the movement to protect and promote the democratic spirit. 0e believes that these sections wor* with enormous commitment and also without any political motives. 0e said that Telangana movement since %$$! has not much participation of above mentioned sections, rather only political parties played a vital role. As they always thin* about alliances and coalitions only to capture the power: li*e how many seats that they demand for their party. 0e also argues that Telangana !astra Samithi as a part of its strategy has mostly depended on lobbying alliances re-uests coalitions and 'oined 1PA 3overnment and en'oyed the power for two years and later resigned for their minister positions both at the 1nion and State cabinets. Twice they went for by.elections where they failed to win. 0alf of the candidates have lost elections. This *ind of strategy will not help the movement. 0e says his party: /ava Telangana Party would go together with the movements as well as representative politics. 0e says that all the problems li*e farmers &alits youth employment women and student etc should come under the Telangana problem and mobilize all the sections into the movement and struggle for the separate statehood.22
2%

+ormer &ean School of Social Science 1niversity of 0yderabad and 0uman :ights activist delivered a lecture in inaugural meeting of Telangana &airy.%$$".
22

President /ava Telangana Pra'a Party Telangana <idyarthi Sadassu 7ha*ali Ilaimma Pranganam Esmania 1niversity ".$=.$=.

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Telangana :astra Samithi has never strived for the mobilization of the youth and students. 0ence anti Telangana parties have been ma*ing use of this drawbac* and striving for the denial of Telangana state. 0e also argues that demand should not confine only to the separate Statehood but should beyond the Statehood. 5very problem should be consider as Telangana problem: &alits students farmers wor*ers poor people)s and the problems of handicrafts unemployment and practice of untouchability landlordism corruption. Then the movement shall create awareness among them and ma*e them to participate in the movement. It is the responsibility of leaders parties civil and political organizations to create confidence among them for bright future after the formation of separate Telangana state. En the issue of Telangana demand politics of representation has failed. 0ence it is the responsibility of people)s movement to awa*e the government political parties and demand for the separate statehood. that is a democratic Telangana but not territorial Telangana.2# @ellaiah /ai* e(presses that in separate Telangana state &alits and other marginalized sections would en'oy all the privileges without any dominance from the upper caste landlords because at present in Telangana region property, li*e land and political power is under the control of :eddy community and other elite castes. They also get additional political and economic support from the other regions in Andhra Pradesh. Bith that power they are e(ploiting more the &alits. In Andhra region where &alits are very strong in terms of social economic political and culturally and they are also aware of the rights as they had decent education during the @ritish period. 0e argues if Telangana state formulate the rich class in Telangana region will not going to get any support from others whereas &alits will get additional political and economic support. Apart from this population of wea*er sections in the region is high and they are more aware and conscious about political and cultural issues as there e(ists heavily influence from Maoists influence Telangana peasant struggle and Telangana movement.2C

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2C

Ibid. President Telangana Sangarshana Samithi interviewed at 0yderabad on !%th &ecember %$$=.

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>. >odandaram said in !"6$s initially Telangana movement was started by the E@7 artists students who were attracted by the left wing politics. It continued till the formation of Telangana Sadana Samithi. After the formation of TSS movement became political. Against the separate Telangana movement there was ?ai Andhra movement. :esult was gentle men)s agreement five point and si( point formula. And P.<. /arsimha :ao became the first chief minister from Telangana for Andhra Pradesh in the year of !";2. Against the Telangana Movement ?ai Andhra movement was launched. After some years there was no movement for Telangana State. In the first phase of the movement there was not much participation of artists and writers. Though movement was strong but confined to the few elite leadership. There was also no scientific agenda and strategy in the movement. There was even no substantive developmental agenda in separate State. They demanded implementation of the mul*i rules, spend the budget for the development of Telangana region by the state government through the income revenue and ta(es coming from the Telangana. They even demanded for the employment for the Telangana youth. @ecause of the movement /.T.:. issued the 6!$ 3.E to study the employment problem. 0e said it was the victory of the Telangana movement. 0e also said oppression e(ploitation and domination is involved by the Andhra leadership 8few elite castes leaders and bureaucrats9 occupied all the resources li*e land business employment etc. which had direct impact on &alits Tribals bac*ward classes and minorities it is not necessary to see the e(ploitation alone hence he argues that only solution to these problems is the separate statehood to the Telangana region. All the problems will get solved in the separate statehood. In Telangana region &alits and other marginalized sections are conscious and there were not many atrocities and humiliations on &alits. @eing that because of Peasants struggle /a(alite movement and left movements. Though there was the feudal system in Telangana but it was well fought by the several movements that have been mentioned earlier. Telangana movement is not merely political and economic movement but it also movement against the cultural dominance, movement for self.respect descent and dignified life. So the cultural aspect also involved in it. 0ence the political parties li*e T:S started installing the idols of Talli Telangana 8mother of Telangana9 celebrating @ata*amma festival Telangana sambaralu moharam festival. The globalization had also shown an impact on the Telangana region

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the earlier handicrafts are not to be found now and youth does not have the employment. 0ence globalization is also one of the reasons for the emergence of separate Telangana once again.

Pranab Mu*ar'ee said on the demand of separate Telangana State on this demand committee has no got consensus in favour of separate State for Telangana region. After the formation of 1PA government they constituted a 7ommittee with the chairmanship of Pranab Mu*ar'ee on the demand of Telanagana State. The committee had written the letters to all the political parties in the country. The many parties wrote the letters in support of the formation of separate state to the committee. There are other political Parties li*e 7PI 8M9 Telugu &esam Party opposed the smaller states. @ut the before the %$$" general elections Telugu &esam Party has withdrew his earlier proposal that was against the formation of the Telangana state and had sent another letter in support of Telangana state to the committee. Pranab Mu*ar'ee has said when the T&P wrote a letter to the committee 7ommittee has stopped wor*ing on the issue. Pranab Mu*ar'ee also said 7ongress party thought of solve the by constituting of Second :eorganization 7ommittee 8S:79 but the parties li*e Telangana :astra Samithi 7PI 8M9 and other opposed the proposal brought by the 7ongress party. At last as a chairman of the committee said no consensuses have come up for the formation of the separate Telangana state.

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